Electrically-operated shut-off for gas burners and alarms



Oct. 2, 192s;

. 1,686,380 HELMBERGER ELECTRICALLY OrERATED SHUT OFF FOR G'As-BdnNERs AND ALARMS Filed March 1927' 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V' IN T012 jl sefl/i again zarya'r' Oct. 2, 1928. v 1,686,380 J. HELMBERGER ELECTRICALLY OPIEIRALIED SHUT OFF FOR GAS BURNERS AND ALARMS Filed March 8, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 zyma'isrroz:

Patented Oct. 2 19 28.

PATENT: OFFICE;

I J'OSE PH HELM B EB GER, F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

nLEcTnIoALLY-oPERA'rE-n SHUT-OFF FOR GAS BURNERS AND ALARMS.

, Application filed March 8, 1927. Serial No. ivaeee.

My invention relates to electrically operated shutoff for gas burners and alarms and has forits primary object the provision of means to maintain anelectric circuit in an open condition during the time a gas burner is in properoperation andwhich will close said electric circuit should the flame be extin uished'from any cause, said circuit inclu ing an'alarm means and a valve operat 1 ing, means to shut off the flow of'gas.

, [Another object of my invention is'to provide, in combination with an open flame gas burner, avalve inthe gas supply pipe, a valve operating means, an alarm device and a heat controlled circuit making and breaking means-including 'as't ationaryannulus and a heat operated rotor provided withipendulum contacts at the ends normally completing the circuit but held out of engagement with the annulus by centrifugal, force due to revolving ofthe rotor, the completing of the circuit pro- .ducing an alarm and closing the valve.

It is a well known fact that where .an open flame gas burner is used there is always a chance that the flame will'be extinguished i. and persons in the building asphyxiated, or

the building damagedby an explosion or fire resulting from'the escape of gas. The use of my invention eliminates these hazards as thei'extinction of the flame permits comple tion of the electrical circuit which willac tuate an audible alarm and placeja valve closing mechanismin operative condition to shut .oflf the gas supply. c I p y -With these and otherendsf inview, this invention consists. in thedetails of construction and combination of elements hereinafter set forth and then specifically designated by the claim. f

In order that'those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains, may understand how'tocmakegan'd use the same, I will describe its construction in detail. referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings,

forming a part of this application, in

Fig. 1, is a perspective View of a gas burner showing m lnvention in operative relation thereto wit a part of the enclosure for the valve actuating mechanism removed and the electrical circuit illustrated diagrammatically.

Fig. 2, is an enlarged side elevation of a portion of the supply pipe with the valve therein and the valve operating mechanism, the enclosure being illustrated in section.

Fig. 3, is an enlarged plan view of the heat operated circuit making and breaking device. p p

Fig. 4, is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3 with the rotor turned to parallel the section line.

Fig. 5, is an enlarged side elevation of the electrically operated means normally holding the valve open which is one form of electric lock, the cover plate being removed to illustrate the interior structure. 1

In carrying out my invention as herein embodied 15 represents an open flame gas burner or heater which is supplied by gas through a supply pipe 16. In the supply pipe is a shut-ofi valve or cook 17 of an suitable and desirable construction which is, preferably located adjacent the burner or heater although it may be at some other place.

The interior construction of the valve is not shown because it is the usual rotatable cock closing and opening on a one quarter turn. In the present instance this valve is provided with an operating lever 18 to the free end of which is connected one end of a spring'19, as the movable element, while the other ,end of said spring is anchored to a fixed post 20, as the stationary element, and the action of said spring tends to close the valve 17. To the free end of the lever 18 is pivoted a catch 21 normally pulled downward by a spring 22 attached to said catch and the lever 18. The nose of the catch is intended to cooperate with thespring actuated latch 23 of the mechanism which holds the valve open against the action of the spring 19.

The mechanism just referredto is an ordinary electrically operated door lock and includes the aforementioned latch 23 pivoted at 24 so as to rotate and normally returnable to a locked position, Fig. 2, by a spring 25 where it is held by a dog 26 moved into the holding position by a spring 27 and limited by a stop 28. I

The dog 26 is maintained in its holding position against accidental displacement by one end of the armature 29 pivoted at 30 and limited in its movements in one direction by a strut 31 formed as a part of said armature.

The armature is actuated to release the dog 26 by means of an electro-magnet 32 the leads from which are connected to binding posts 33 on the insulating strip 34 secured to the casing 35 which encloses the lock mechanism.

The lock is suitably mounted a support 36 and with the valve and component parts is enclosed within a housing 37 through which the supply pipe passes.

Located adjacent the burner or heater is the circuit make and breaker 38 including a base 39 from which projects a standard 40 having its upper portion bent at approximately right angles, so as to overlie the burner when the circuit maker and breaker isplaced beside the burner. This is again bent at ZIPPI'Oh'lDHtl'QlY right angles to form a neck &1 supporting a hollow head i2 in which is mounted a block of suitable insulating material a3 carrying a socket it for the reception of a revolving shaft 45'secured to the rotor 46.

The rotor comprises a pair of oppositely projecting arms 4'? having blades i -8 formed therefrom so that heated air arising from the burner or heater will cause the rotor to revolve.

At the outer ends of the arms l? are pivoted the pendulum contacts 49 for cooperation with the annulus 50 supported by 'adial hangers 51 projecting from'the body 52 seoured to the block 43 in the head t2 by screws 53.

The annulus, hangers and body are electrical conductors and are in contact, while the body carries a binding post 54- to which is connected a wire 55 leading to a battery 56 or other source of electric current which in turn is connected with a switch 57, the latter being connected by a wire 58 with one pole of the audible signal 59, such as a bell, and said signal is connected by a wire 60 with the brush 61 mounted in the insulating block 3 through an aperture 62 in the body 52 and having a rubbing contact with the shaft- 45. The wires 55 and 60 may pass through the standard 40 and out the hole 63 for connection to the binding post and brush 61.

Abranch wire 58 leads from the wire 58 to one of the binding posts 33 and another branch wire 60 leads from the wire 60 to the other of the binding posts 33.

The operation of the device is as follows:

After the burner or heater has been lighted thecirculation of air set up will revolve the rotor 46, because of said air striking against the blades #8. In some cases it is necessary to give the rotor an initial start after which the circulating heated air will continue to revolve it.

During the turning of the rotor the pendulum contacts 49 will swing outward because of the. centrifugal force and therefore remain out of contact with the. annulus 50. The switch 57 may now be closed to set the device.

Should the flame of the burner or heater be extinguished the rotor will stop and the pendulum contacts will swing downward until they eng the annulus completing the electrical circuit. The closing of the circuit will operate the signal device and simultaneously actuate the armature to disengage the coacting end from the dog 26', leavingthe latter free to be swungagainst the action of the spring 27 when force isapplied to the latch 23. This force is present in the spring 19- so that the removal of the end of the armature from the pat-l1 of travel of the tail of the dog will pull back the latch 23 and release the catch 21 permitting the spring 19 to close the valve 17, thus shutting off the gas supply.

After the cause of the trouble has been re moved or corrected, the device can be reset by opening the switch 57' and then opening a cover of the housing 37 and placing the nose of the catch 21 over the nose of the latch 23.

Of course I do not wish to be limited tothe exact details of construction herein shown and described as these may be varied within the limits of the appended claim without depart ing fromthe spirit'of my invent-ion.

Having thus fully described my invention in detail, what I claim as new and useful is:

In a device the character stated, an open flame burner and supply pipe leadingthereto, a. shut-off valve in said pipe and: a lever to operate said valve, an electrically operating holding mechanism, a catch having; one end pivoted to the valve lever and the other end (to-operating wit-h the holding mechanism, a spring between the lever and catch and. another-spring having one end anchored and the opposite end connected with the lever to actuate the latter in that direction which will close the valve upon release of the catch by the holding mechanism. I

' In witness whereof, I havehereunto afiixed my signature. I v I i i J OSEPH' HELMBERGER. 

